Make Detroit Home ($1,000 newcomer relocation grants): get paid to move to Detroit

Detroit, Michigan offers $1,000 cash. Status: between rounds.

$1,000CashAs published by the programUp to $1,000 relocation or financial support for selected participants

Between roundsThe next round has been announced but not openedApply on the official site

Who it's for: People taking a local job
What you commit to: Income $50,000+
Visit before you move: Not mentioned
How we checked: News report

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays.Checked October 30, 2026.How we check programs

$1,000Total valueCash plus perks
$274,950Typical home for saleMetro

Who qualifies

A remote job is not required
A track for people who take a local job
Household income of at least $50,000

In the program's words

Remote track: full-time remote or self-employed, living outside the City of Detroit. Job seeker track: new full-time job in Michigan. Both: $50,000 income minimum, 18+, move into Detroit within 6 months.

Perks: One-year Welcome Program (city tour, local discounts, MoveDetroit digital community, state parks pass); choice of event series (WFHere Detroit, Detroit Welcome, Detroit Moves the World)

Run by: MoveDetroit coalition with the City of Detroit

Read the official rules and apply

Confirmed by a 2025 or 2026 news report; the program has no current official page we could read. Programs change often: confirm the amount and deadline with the program before you plan a move.

Is it worth it?

The grant is the headline. The bigger number is usually what you stop paying every month.

Buying a home$30,800 a year less
The typical home in the Detroit metro costs $274,950, against $742,000 in New York. That's about $30,800 a year less on the mortgage^1,2.
Renting instead$1,398 a month
A 2-bedroom runs $1,398 a month in Detroit, against $1,997 in New York, utilities included³.
Program cash$1,000
The program adds $1,000 in cash.
Same lifestyle, smaller salary$133,656
A $150,000 New York salary buys the same as $133,656 in Detroit⁴.

Full cost of living in Detroit

Is it worth it?

The grant is the headline. The bigger number is usually what you stop paying every month.

Buying a home$30,800 a year less
The typical home in the Detroit metro costs $274,950, against $742,000 in New York. That's about $30,800 a year less on the mortgage^1,2.
Renting instead$1,398 a month
A 2-bedroom runs $1,398 a month in Detroit, against $1,997 in New York, utilities included³.
Program cash$1,000
The program adds $1,000 in cash.
Same lifestyle, smaller salary$133,656
A $150,000 New York salary buys the same as $133,656 in Detroit⁴.

Full cost of living in Detroit

Living in Detroit

Home values, rent, local jobs, things to do and remote jobs you can bring: our guide to moving to Detroit.

Other Michigan programs

4 programs in Michigan were active when we checked on October 30, 2026.

Get paid to move to Michigan: every program

Programs in other states

Questions people ask

How much does Make Detroit Home pay?

$1,000 cash: Up to $1,000 relocation or financial support for selected participants. Source: https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/10/06/make-detroit-home-program-draws-more-than-6500-applicants-from-across-the-country/ (2026-10-06).

Who can apply to Make Detroit Home?

Is Make Detroit Home still open?

The next round has been announced but not opened. ClickOnDetroit 2026-10-06: 300 applicants getting $1,000 grants and 13 getting $15,000 in phase one; 6,500+ applied; MoveDetroit planning a next phase. Islands.com 2026-10-25: pilot round closed in May. MakeMyMove remote and job seeker listings still show Apply Now/QuickApply (site (C) 2026). Confirm with the program before you plan a move.

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Notes on the numbers

1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, Realtor.com via FRED, Detroit metro.
2Mortgage: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Census table
4Everyday prices and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024.

Sources for this page

$1,000 cashBetween rounds · Detroit

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